


thrift store fashion (& perfect tattoos).

by skysplits



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 17:39:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9396011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skysplits/pseuds/skysplits
Summary: Alex works at a thrift store. Tobin comes in on Wednesdays.Or,The one where I was in a #funk, and Jay helped me out by giving me a cool prompt.





	

Alex flips over the sign on the front door, indicating to the world (well, the city of Chicago, really) that _Abby’s Closet_ is open for the day. It’s part of the routine--Syd preps checkout, Kelley finishes the books, and Alex flips over the _Open!_ sign before heading back to the fitting rooms to start whatever work she has for her summer course.

 

It’s pretty nice, working with her best friends. There’s little workplace drama (except for the time Kelley dated a customer and almost got them all killed after she broke-up with said customer), and it gives her the opportunity to slack off on work to study without feeling guilty. And the job isn’t bad either--mostly because Abby doesn’t mind that Alex studies during her shift, so long as she stays in the fitting room and finishes her daily assignments.

 

She heads over to the employee’s room, where Kelley’s simultaneously monitoring the security cameras from the night before and finishing the inventory she was definitely supposed to get done yesterday.

 

“Ooh, rough,” Alex comments at Kelley’s frantic typing, setting down the cup of Starbucks she picked up for her on the way. Another perk of working with her best friends--rotating coffee deliveries for morning shifts. “Good thing Abby doesn’t come in until ten.”

 

“Shut up,” comes Kelley’s half-hearted response. She reaches for the cup of coffee without taking her eyes off the screen. “I thought it was Syd’s turn?” she asks after taking a sip.

 

“Nah, it’s Wednesday.”

 

“Already?” Kelley tuts, and Alex knows that her mind is already whirring, immediately occupied with thoughts about the upcoming deadlines for the store. Still, Alex can’t help but poke fun at her friend’s expense.

 

“M'hmm. Tell me,” Alex starts, half-sitting on the table where Kelley’s laptop rests. “How do you manage to stay after every day and _still_ not finish before you leave? I mean, you’ve only been working here three years. You’d think with your experience you would’ve learned how to get everything done.”

 

“Maybe if _someone_ actually did their job and cleaned the fitting rooms before they left and didn’t study her entire shift, _I_ would have time to do mine.”

 

Alex laughs at Kelley’s short temper. She was never a morning person, even after the coffee delivery. “Touche. But to be fair, I only work the morning shifts. Cleaning up is Allie’s job. And econometrics is hard!”

 

“Excuses.” Kelley goes back to focusing on the screen in front of her, and Alex puts her things away before going out to greet Sydney at checkout.

 

“So,” Sydney greets, grabbing the cup from Alex's hand before she has a chance to offer. “Tell me why I, your best friend, found out about your tattoo from my _Instagram_ _feed_?”

 

Alex smiles at Sydney before lifting up her shirt to show off the new ink on her ribcage. “It only just healed,” she explains. “I wanted to make sure it was exactly how I wanted before I showed anyone.”

 

Sydney reaches out to touch the outline before chiding, “Still could’ve told me you were planning to get one. It’s cute.” Syd approves with a nod. “Pacific Coast Ranges?”

 

“Yeah. Thought it was fitting.”

 

“Mm. How’d your parents take it?”

 

“Um, okay, I think. They thought the sentiment was cute. Besides, they’re pretty good about letting me do what I want with my body.”

 

“Gotta love those pro-choicers.”

 

The front door opens, and the bell hanging from the ceiling above chimes. Abby’s idea--Alex thinks it’s tacky.

 

The customers freeze in the doorframe, staring at Alex for just a moment before shifting their gaze and awkwardly shuffling their feet. Alex raises an eyebrow, confused by their behavior. They seem normal enough--two women in their early twenties, one dressed in a formal business casual suit and the other… well, she has nice facial features. And nice legs, not that Alex is staring.

 

And then Alex remembers that her shirt is pulled up to her bra, and Syd’s finger is tracing the new addition to her ribcage. She scrambles to yank her shirt down, fixing her name tag before scurrying back to the fitting rooms, throwing a quick ‘welcome!’ at the two women by the door.

 

She’s able to hear the conversation through the walls separating the two rooms.

 

“Sorry, we were just wondering what the hours were. They’re not posted on the door.”

 

“No, you’re fine,” Syd answers. Even from another room, Alex can tell from years of friendship, Syd is doing her best to stifle a laugh.  “Probably wasn’t the most professional thing to be checking out my coworker’s tattoo on shift. Uh, store’s open from nine to eight, and depending on the day and personnel we have, lunch hours are either from eleven to twelve or twelve to one.”

 

“Do we just have to come by and figure out which one it is?” a different, higher voice asks.

 

“Nah, we have a twitter you can check--or, follow. I’m supposed to encourage you to follow it. We tweet out store hours for the week every Monday.”

 

“What about people who don’t have Twitter, it’s kind of unfair to them don’t you think--.”

 

“Sweet. We’ll be back later today,” the other woman says in a rush.

 

And with that, the customers leave and the bell chimes again, and Alex waits five minutes before deciding it’s safe to come out of hiding and rejoin Syd at the front.

 

“Thanks for leaving me to the wolves, jerk,” Syd grumbles, giving her best friend a shove.

 

“Hey! You weren’t the one with your shirt hiked up to your bra.”

 

“You weren’t the one with your hands all over another girl’s ribs! They probably think I’m lesbian.”

 

“And what’s wrong with being lesbian?” Alex quips, raising her eyebrow. A signature of hers.

 

“Yeah,” Kelley’s voice shouts from the back room. “What’s wrong with being lesbian?”

 

“Okay, a, you’re bi,” Syd points out, poking Alex in the chest. “B, shut up, Kelley. Stop eavesdropping and finish the books. And c, don’t pull that shit with me.”

 

“My gay ass will shut up when I want my gay ass to shut up,” Kelley snorts, emerging to join the other two at checkout. “You didn’t answer the question: what’s wrong with being gay?”

 

“Yeah Syd. Do you have a problem with gay people?” Alex laughs at Sydney as she squirms, visibly uncomfortable. Alex can’t help it. It’s just too easy to tease her.

 

“I’m being discriminated against. This is a hate crime.”

 

“What? How? Alex and I are minorities, too.”

 

“‘Intersectional bigotry,’” Sydney quotes a Twitter post Alex shared in their group chat last week, and the three of them burst out laughing at the irony.

 

“Also, did you hear the one complaining about the Twitter thing?” Sydney asks, a look of displeasure on her face.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know how you deal with customers everyday Syd. I feel bad for Dom.” Alex says around a laugh.

 

“I’m just saying, I wouldn’t want to date someone with a stick that far up their ass.”

 

“Luckily for you, the only thing going up Dom’s ass is a fork.” Kelley chimes in, proud smirk on her face.

 

“That was one time!” Syd defends. “He was drunk, and his friends dared him to!”

 

Alex smiles at her two best friends before they break off, going back to their posts to officially start the day.

 

Like she said, her job? It’s pretty nice.

 

+

 

Maybe she spoke too soon. Syd had to dip out thirty after ten--something about Dom being rushed to the emergency room after being stupid and accidentally setting off sparklers in their new apartment. And Alex is only saying that because she knows he’s fine. Some minor burns, but he’ll be okay. Besides, he _was_ being stupid, and his sight came back, Alex argued when Kelley started judging her. Who _accidentally_ sets off sparklers and gets themselves burned? In an enclosed area?

 

And in a more honest way, she’s also saying it because she’s bitter now that she has to work front desk for a little while now (if that makes her a terrible person, oh well), since Allie doesn’t come in until two today, which means that Alex can’t shirk her work responsibilities and study for her upcoming econometrics exam.

 

Instead, she has to be on full alert as customers browse and ask her stupid questions like,

 

_“Do you guys have this in a size up?”_

 

_“No, I’m sorry, ma’am. This is a thrift store.”_

 

Or,

 

_“Wait, hold on. Last week, my friend bought a sweater from here and it was only eight. How come mine is more expensive?”_

 

_“It’s a different sweater.”_

 

They really should hire a floor worker, just to filter out some of the questions the cashier has to go through or post one of those frequently asked questions thing on Twitter. Alex makes a mental note to ask Abby about it the next time she comes in.

 

+

 

It’s a slow hour, right after their lunch break, and Alex has spent the majority of it with her eyes glued to her textbook, pen scribbling notes on the notebook she has to use in lieu of her laptop--all thanks to the annoying ‘no-technology-at-checkout’ rule that Abby came up with after catching Allie on a phone call with Bati while working. Yet another example of how Alex has to suffer the consequences of her friends’ misdoings.

 

She’s so focused on her readings that she doesn’t notice Abby standing on the other side of the counter.

 

“Ahem.” Abby clears her throat, arms crossed and foot tapping.

 

Alex sheepishly looks up from her book, an apologetic smile on her face. “Oh heeey, Abs. You’re in later than usual today… didn’t think you were coming in.”

 

“I told her to put it away!” Kelley pipes up from the back room. If looks could break through drywall and kill...

 

“M’hmm,” Abby grunts before looking pointedly at Alex’s work. “You know the rule.”

 

“Abby, please. I have an exam on Friday, and I seriously need to study,” Alex pleads with her friend-turned-boss. She tries her best to look pitiful, hoping to score some sympathy points. “You know I would never, ever do homework at checkout, but it’s only because I didn’t plan to be here today! I’m covering for Syd, so technically, this is on her.”

 

Abby rolls her eyes and scoffs at her excuses. “Begging isn’t a good look on you. Neither is throwing your friends under the bus.” Looking around, she notices how dead the store is and relents, saying, “Fine. But only when customers aren’t here.”

 

“Ugh, you’re the best Abs.”

 

Abby walks to the back room to join Kelley, but not before patting Alex on the back and giving her a classic, “Shut up and study.”

 

Alex smiles and refocuses her attention on the page in front of her, but her happiness is cut short when the bell above the door rings again. “Crap,” she mutters.

 

“Al,” Abby warns.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” She pushes her work to the side, and begins to make her way to greet the customers that entered. But two steps in, she recognizes their faces and immediately turns, heading straight towards Abby and Kelley in the other room.

 

“What are you doing in here? Aren’t there customers?” Abby questions, looking up from the Excel sheet open on Kelley’s laptop.

 

“Yeah, but…”

 

“Oh my god,” Kelley responds, a smile breaking. “Is it…”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“The two girls from--?”

 

A nod.

 

“Man, I can’t wait to see this.”

 

“No, Kelley, you have to go out there for me! I can’t look at them, they’ve seen me shirtless--”

 

“What?!” Abby exclaims

 

“Oh, come on,” Kelley argues. “You had your bra on.”

 

“They still saw my abs. It took my first boyfriend like, thirty dates before that happened.”

 

“Thirty dates? Holy crap, prude.”

 

“I was sixteen!”

 

“I still call prude.”

 

“As an intersectional feminist, it’s demeaning to shame me for my choice--”

 

“Both of you shut up!” Abby snaps, before lowering her voice again, not wanting to freak out the two strangers on the other side of the wall. “Alex, I don’t care what happened, and quite frankly, I don’t want to know. Get back out front and stay there. And if you’re going to complain all day, text Allie to ask her if she can come in a few hours early. And Kelley, shut up. You’ve been working here four years, and you’re still messing up the daily reports.”

 

Kelley mutters, “Only three years,” then shrinks at the gaze Abby shoots her way.

 

“But,” Alex starts to argue.

 

“Nope. Go.” There’s a decisive finality to Abby’s voice that Alex doesn’t bother arguing.

 

Groaning, Alex pouts for a moment, then remembers she’s a twenty-four year old graduate student at the University of Chicago, and pouting suits her about as well as begging does.

 

She does her best to cover her face with her hair in the vain hope that it’ll keep the two women outside from recognizing who she is, then steps back out, and takes three deep breaths before reciting, “Hi, welcome to Abby’s!” in a voice that can only be described as fake, all while keeping her eyes to the ground. “Let me know if you need any help.”

 

She sits back down at the counter and peeks out through her hair towards the floor at the couple shopping, and tries to make out what they’re saying.

 

Alex decides they need names. Whenever she goes to campus and people watches with Syd, they always give people names. It seems less invasive, that way. More humane.

 

One of the girls has her hair up a bun, and a few strands of the shorter curls frame her face. She’s smartly dressed, and is so soft-spoken Alex has to strain to hear anything she says.

 

The other girl has nice legs (again, not that Alex is staring), but her most defining feature is a smile you can see from a mile away.

 

She figures it’s best to go simple.

 

Curly is showing Calves a navy blue blazer.

 

“Absolutely not.”

 

“You need a nice blazer,” Curly argues. Alex immediately recognizes her voice as the one that made the Twitter remark. ‘ _Snob,’_ Alex thinks, rolling her eyes. “You can’t keep wearing t-shirts and free runs to business meetings. It’s unprofessional.”

 

“I’m not really interested in looking professional.”

 

“You _are_ a professional.”

 

“Christen,” Calves begins. “You don’t need to worry about it. I really doubt they’re gonna fire me for wearing sneakers to meetings.”

 

“Well, I’m not willing to find out,” Curly states, laying the blazer over her arm, then resuming to continue browsing through the business professional section. “We’re gonna have you ballin’ on a budget!”

 

Calves looks at her friend (girlfriend? It is 2017 after all) for a moment, bringing two fingers up to pinch her nose bridge. “Please. Never say that again. Even I wouldn’t say that.”

 

Under her hair, Alex stifles a laugh, the two women, one of whom’s name she now knows to be Christen, remind her a lot of Dom and Syd. Except neither of them are snobs. Alex smirks, satisfied with her snide comment, thinking it clever.

 

She turns her attention to changing the Spotify playlist, deciding eavesdropping just isn’t as fun without her friends.

 

Once pleased with her selection, she hits play and begins to tap her foot to the beat of _Pink Skies_ as she chips at her nail polish. But that distraction only lasts three minutes. ‘ _How do Syd and Allie do this all day?’_ she wonders, looking around the store for something else to occupy her. Her eyes land on she the homework sitting to the left of her, and she’s soon itching to get the rest of her work done.

 

She subtly looks over her shoulder, checking to make sure the back room door is still closed so Abby can’t catch her in the act.

 

Just as she’s about to reach for her pencil, someone clears their throat at the counter, and Alex snaps her head up to find Calves looking right at her.

 

“Oh,” she states, caught off guard. “Oh, uh I mean. Hi. Hi, how can I help you?”

 

“Hey,” Calves says, smiling. “Uh, do you guys have any athleisure stuff lying around?”

 

It’s different, seeing Calves from up close. There’s a certain charm about her. _‘Kelley would call it swagger,’_ Alex thinks. Whatever it’s called, it distracts Alex long enough to create an awkward silence before she reminds herself she should answer.

 

“U- uh,” Alex stutters, trying to remember what Calves just asked her. “Sorry, um, what?”

 

“Athleisure stuff?”

 

“Like, athletic wear?” Alex scrunches her nose. “Because I’m not sure you’d want clothes somebody else has sweated in..”

 

“Athleisure? Athletic wear that could pass off as everyday outfits?”

 

“Oh! Yeah,” Alex confirms (of course that’s what she meant, you idiot). Doing her best not to meet Calves’ eyes, she gestures to the front of the store. “We’ve got an entire section at the front.”

 

“Oh. Didn’t even see that.” Just like that, she turns around and tells Christen, “I’m gonna be at the front!”

 

Alex’s gaze turns to Christen, who’s so concentrated on the dress shirts in front of her that she doesn’t notice her (potential) girlfriend wander off.

 

Once Calves makes it over to the rack of ath… ath… well, whatever it was, Alex releases the breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

 

“Wow,” Kelley’s voice makes Alex yelp, and she turns around to find Abby and Kelley leaning against the doorframe. “That was... embarrassing. Wasn’t it embarrassing, Abs?”

 

“Shut up,” Alex mumbles, shooting Kelley a look before turning to make sure Calves’ hadn’t heard her. “And keep your voice down.”

 

Kelley rolls her eyes turns to go back into the back room, and Abby heads over to the front door to leave, but not before clapping her hand on Alex’s shoulder and offering Alex a sympathetic look.

 

“Please, don’t flirt with the customers. Especially if you’re going to be that much of a trainwreck. Remember what happened with Kelley?”

 

“Abby,” Alex protests, but she just laughs and walks away, leaving the store for the day.

 

Alex’s eyes follow Abby out, then they land on Calves, who’s standing not seven feet away from the door. She furrows her brows, wondering what it is about the stranger that flusters her.

 

 _‘It’s not like I haven’t dated girls before. Besides, I’m hot! She should be so lucky,’_ Alex thinks to herself. _‘And you’re also kind of an idiot. A hot, clueless, bi idiot. She probably thinks you have two brain cells left. Maybe you should pull up your UChicago account, just so she can see you have like, at least fifteen. Oh my God, Alex, why do you care?’_

 

Before Alex can figure out an answer, Calves looks up, and once again, Alex’s face flushes, and she scrambles to grab her pen and textbook.

 

“Hey Tobs,” Christen calls out. “I think I’ve got what you need. Why don’t you go try them on?”

 

“Eh… nah, you know my sizes, I trust you,” Calves decides, making her way over to her friend. “Whatcha got?”

 

While Christen shows Calves the things she’s picked out, Alex’s fingers grip her pen tightly.

 

 _‘Fuck,’_ Alex thinks, unsure if she’s capable of checking Calves’ out without making herself look even more idiotic. _‘It’s fine, it’s chill,’_ she insists, trying to convince herself to calm down. _‘You’re a smart girl, Alex, you’ll be fine.’_

 

Just then, the front door swings open again and Allie walks through the door, looking thoroughly put out that she’s in an hour early.

 

“Allie,” Alex breathes out, grateful to see her friend. “Thank God.” She gathers her things and hops off the stool, making her way towards the fitting rooms.

 

Allie looks around the store as she makes her way over to Alex and raises an eyebrow. “Alex, there are only two customers here,” she points out, setting her things in the space underneath the counter. “You’re a rookie. And if you’re really grateful, you’ll take me out for drinks when we get off.”

 

“I have an exam on Friday, Allie,” Alex starts to argue.

 

“It’s your fault I have to be here an hour early,” Allie interrupts, hand landing on her hips.

 

“Well, really, it’s Dom’s fault…” Alex decides it’s best to concede when she sees the unamused pout on Allie’s lips. “Fine, but only for an hour.”

 

“Some friend,” Allie scoffs, and Alex gives her a quick hug of gratitude before sliding out from behind the counter to make her way to the fitting rooms.

 

Just her luck, she collides right into Calves, whose arms are full of blazers and slacks that her girlfriend (maybe, Alex still isn’t sure) picked out for her.

 

“Oh, shi--, I mean shoot,” Alex stumbles out. “God, I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s chill,” Calves reassures, giving Alex a smile. “No harm done. Everything’s still in my arms.”

 

“Yeah that’s, uh, a lot of stuff,” Alex comments on all of the clothing Calves is carrying. “Spring cleaning?”

 

“More like the opposite. Besides, I don’t think it counts as spring if it’s after May.”

 

Alex offers a chuckle, about to reply when she hears Christen’s voice.

 

“Tobs,” Christen calls, already at the register. “We have to get back to the office.”

 

“Be there soon,” Calves responds, turning her attention back towards Alex. “It’s Tobin, if you didn’t catch on.”

 

“Alex.” Alex gives Tobin a smile before eyeing the fitting room entrance behind Calves’ head. “Well, I’ve gotta go, and I think your girlfriend’s getting a little impatient.”

 

“She’s not…,” Tobin starts before trailing off and shaking her head. “Well, it was nice running into you, Alex. Literally,” Tobin says with a laugh, turning to make her way over to Christen. “By the way,” she throws back. “It wasn’t that embarrassing.”

 

Alex furrows her brows, and as soon as she says, “What?” remembers Kelley’s comment not ten minutes earlier. “Oh.”

 

“Yeah, it was actually kinda cute.” Tobin smirks. “Nice tattoo, by the way.”

  
Before Alex can think to come up with a reply, Tobin’s already at the register, dumping the many clothes Christen picked out for her on the counter. So, Alex finds herself standing alone by the sundresses, and a warmth spreads across her cheeks, bringing the corners of her mouth up with it.

**Author's Note:**

> love it? hate it? lmk in the comments/tumblr (hotline-kling). expect an update.. idk, probably in like two months, if we're being #realistic.
> 
> shoutout to saturnine & windowbedsthebest for helping a girl out.


End file.
